Earlier this week, I was able to interview ETSU sophomore standout Daivien Williamson. This past season, East Tennessee State went 30-4 and was poised to make a Cinderella run in the tournament as a projected 11 seed.
Williamson played a huge role on the team, averaging 10.4 PPG, 2.0 RPG and 2.6 APG, all while shooting 48.4% from the field. He played 28 minutes per game and was only a sophomore. After the season was cut short, Williamson, along with several of his teammates, entered the transfer portal. He eventually committed to Wake Forest and will join other players such as Isaiah Mucius, who returned from the NBA Draft pool and UNLV transfer Jonah Antonio. Together, they will attempt to build a dominant program at Wake Forrest under Steve Forbes, Williamson’s former coach at ETSU.
Daivien Williamson Interview:
First off, what factors played into the season that ETSU had this year, going 30-4?
We played really hard as a team, we had great team chemistry as a unit. We were brothers on and off the court.
You guys were a popular Cinderella pick in this year’s tournament and were talked about a lot. How much of the hype did you hear and how did you feel about the team heading into the tournament?
As a team we were extremely confident heading into the tourney! We knew we had a real shot to make it to at least the sweet 16. We were super pumped to get the chance to open some eyes about the special team that we had
The SOCON is always a competitive conference, being in the conversation for 2 bids the past couple years. Do you believe the SOCON is underrated and how deep is talent in that league?
The SOCON is very underrated but the past two years we finally got some of recognition we deserved. The talent is SERIOUS. There are pros in the SOCON across the board. You have to play your best night in and night out, or you’ll get beat by anybody.
What is the toughest place to play in the SOCON?
There are many tough places in the SOCON but the toughest is probably at Furman.
You entered the transfer portal after the season, but also left the option open to return to ETSU. Why did you ultimately decide to leave?
I decided to leave because I just think this is an once in a lifetime opportunity and it was hard to say no to. I’m here at home, playing in the ACC, with a head coach I’m very familiar with, at one of the best universities in the world. That’s hard to say no to.
What influenced you to choose Wake over schools such as SDSU, BYU, and Georgetown? How much of a role did Steve Forbes have in it?
Relationships played a huge role! I know what to expect, I don’t have to change my play style, I know the situation I’m getting into. Coach Forbes played a huge role in it.. the relationship I’ve built with him I’m not sure I can build that with anyone else in the country.
Finally, what did the transfer portal process look like during a global pandemic?
This pandemic really made the recruiting process different. Zoom visits and virtual tours were cool, but it’s nothing like visiting in person. That was the biggest difference to me
Huge shoutout to Daivien for doing the interview with me and for being one of my biggest supporters.
